Kenwood TS-940S
$$$··
| Frequency | TX: 160–10 m (incl WARC), RX: 0.15–30 MHz general coverage |
| Bands | 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m |
| TX power | 100 W (100W output SSB/CW/FM/FSK. 40W AM. 28V PA supply voltage for lowest distortion.) |
| Modes | USB, LSB, CW, FSK, AM, FM |
| Weight | 18.5 kg (40.8 lb) - 18.5 kg. Dimensions: 141×401×350 mm. Full-size flagship with built-in PSU. |
| Connector | SO-239 |
| Year | 1985 |
| antenna | SO-239 (through ATU on TS-940SAT) |
| mic | 8-pin round with retaining ring (MC-42S/MC-60A recommended, not included) |
| key | key/paddle |
| acc | accessory connectors |
| ext spkr | external speaker |
| ac in | AC mains (120/240 VAC selectable, built-in PSU) |
| power req | AC mains (120/240 VAC). Built-in power supply. 510W max TX, 80W RX. |
Quadruple conversion with 9 front-end filters, 102 dB dynamic range, and a 28V PA for a clean signal. It has SSB slope tuning and CW VBT (two interference-rejection paths), full QSK, 40 memories, a dual display, a built-in PSU, and a clock/timer, with 30+ years of proven reliability as a self-contained station.
Vintage (1985). 18.5 kg (heavy). Known PSU failures (a switching-PSU mod is recommended). No DSP. No 6m. No spectrum scope. 80 dB image rejection (good, not great). A large footprint. Replaced by the TS-950S.
A 1980s Kenwood flagship. The TS-940S was Kenwood's answer to the Icom IC-761: self-contained with a built-in PSU, 9 front-end preselector filters, quadruple conversion, and a 28V PA that produces notably clean audio at 100W. SSB slope tuning and CW VBT provide two interference-rejection paths. Users report 30+ years of service. Budget for a PSU replacement (the switching-PSU mod is popular) and it still performs.
The Kenwood TS-940S was Kenwood's top-of-the-line HF transceiver of the mid-1980s, a large, full-featured station radio that many still consider one of the finest analog rigs of its era. It covers 160 through 10 meters including the WARC bands with a general-coverage receiver, operates SSB, CW, FSK, AM, and FM, and in the input-power convention of its day carried a 250-watt PEP rating, corresponding to roughly 100 watts of RF output.
It packed a deep feature set: a built-in automatic antenna tuner (in the 940SAT), a superb receiver with slope tuning and optional 250/500 Hz CW and 6 kHz AM filters, dual VFOs, and comprehensive memory and scanning. Beautifully built and satisfying to operate, it earned a devoted following and a reputation for outstanding receive performance. Its main long-term caution is the well-known digital/memory backup circuitry that benefits from refurbishment after decades of service.
It is a discontinued classic. Compare it with the hybrid TS-830S and the later TS-850S.